Welcome Fall!

Fall has Arrived

Fall has officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere.

As fall settles-in, our thoughts tend to shift from summer activities toward colder weather, the holidays, and eventually winter. As the sun gets dramatically lower on the southern horizon, it is darker longer in the mornings, and night falls all too quick in the evenings. We hold on to any last bits of sunshine we can collect. We plan activities that take advantage of the warmth for the few days we know we have left. The end of summer tells us it is time to bring-in the patio furniture, time to get out our warmer clothes, and even the gloves, scarves, and wool hats.

In the past, I have lived in many places where the above is true. Living in Oregon, and Washington the end of summer was not really so noticeable, because there was no real summer. If we got warmth, it was only occasional, and rather sporatic. In The Northwest, it was seldom above 80 degrees, and the few hot days we got never lasted long enough to warm the earth below our feet. In the Northwest, we expect frost to come soon after The Fall Equinox.

This year, I am living in Las Vegas. This is a different climate for me, and I am loving it! We are still getting temperatures above 100 degrees, and we have mostly sunny days. In early September, we entered what the locals call “Monsoon season”. This is also new to me. This is when Vegas gets most of its rain. When it rains here, it comes in hard, and fast. Everything floods for a few hours, then is completely dry again. It can be 100-degrees, than it rains for a little while, cools down to about 80, then the sun comes back out, and it is hot again. I find this fascinating. In the evenings, we get down into the 70’s, but that is hardly cold compared to Oregon, or Washington. All summer long, the sun has warmed the earth below our feet, so the ground is still radiating warmth. The rain evaporates quickly.

Usually I am aware of the official changes of seasons, and it has always felt like a change for me when they come. This time, I was slightly surprised that the Fall Equinox actually came and went without my realizing it. I KNEW the calendar date, but it had not registered in my inner-calendar. This made me laugh, and really understand how different the climate is here. I KNOW in my mind that this is when the cold sets-in, and it really messes with me that I can still wear shorts while the sun is up. September is almost gone, and I am wearing shorts! This is just not right. ~Grin~ But I Totally love it! The sun is definitely lower, and the days are shorter, but it still feels like summer.



Downtown Portland, Oregon

My mind is arguing with itself. One part of it is automatically reaching for the coat, and the other part is reaching for the sandals. Every Fall, I really dread the leaving of the sunshine. My body thrives in the sun. (That is the reason I moved to Vegas.) Even while walking, wearing shorts, I find myself looking at the foliage. I KNOW those leaves are going to turn color, and soon fall to The Earth. But they have not begun to turn yet. Even though I dread the loss of sunshine as Fall sets-in, I am always thrilled to watch nature paint us a beautiful picture.



Train Tracks in Portland, Oregon

When the leaves fall, they are essentially dead, but for some reason, they are often more beautiful than when they were just merely green on the trees. As they turn color, the hues are incredible. As they fall, they dance, and flutter as if to make one final performance in the breeze before they add their nutrients to the soil from which they originally sprouted.





As we see the dried leaves blown around on the ground, and forming other artistic designs, if you look closely, you might see more than just a pile of leaves.

What do You See? Fall is Beautiful.

As Fall enters your world, may you find the beauty it holds. May you see more than just dead leaves. I hope you find the joy in the show our God had created just for you!

Have a Wonderful Fall Day!
And Thank You for reading My blog! JOn ~=:-)

"Welcome to Portland, Oregon"

“Welcome to Portland, Oregon”

That is the announcement the pilot just made. I was 12, and I just arrived in my new home.

Yesterday, I was a carefree kid at summer camp in California, about to return to where I thought my home was, which was Modesto, Ca. A Lot happened while I was away at camp. Today, I landed at Portland, Oregon, my New home.
Yup! My World just got interesting. My family moved out of state while I was at summer camp!

(See the blog http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2011/09/surprise-your-family-moved-out-of-state.html )

The events that led to my family moving to Oregon were not a surprise. What was surprising was that it actually happened, and suddenly, too! We had come to believe it would not.

My Dad designed and built the 9-1-1 emergency system which is used nation-wide now. Many of you do not remember when 9-1-1 did not exist for emergency calls. Prior to dialing 9-1-1, there was a list of phone numbers posted by the phone for each emergency agency. There was a separate number for police, for fire, and for ambulance. Each system had their own dispatch center, instead of what we now know as an all-in-one center. The individual agencies would contact the other agencies to attempt to coordinate needed services. As you can imagine, this was not efficient, and often left plenty of room for error.

In the 1970’s, using his background, and education in communications, phone companies, computers, military, and emergency services, my Dad helped develop a universal system for a one-call emergency dispatch system. This is what the 9-1-1 system is. A Person calls one number, and that dispatch center handles all dispatches for all emergency services needed. He was well-known, respected, and in high demand as communities across America started adapting the new 9-1-1 centers. He often traveled to train and assist others in getting their systems started, and learn the details. Often many communities would send their people to where he was already building a system. They would learn, and take those skills back home to their own community to implement. The system was expanding rapidly. My dad was always busy, always traveling, and in extreme high demand. To us, that was just normal. That was his job, and where he was dedicated.

We understood how he needed to travel, and how important this was. At the time, we lived in San Jose, California. This was our community, our home, our lives. As you can imagine, once an area is up and running with the new system, he would have worked himself right out of a job. He had to keep expanding to newer areas. For a while, he was able to just keep working outward from where we lived in San Jose. In 1978 there was no longer anything local for him, so we had to move. We moved 90-miles away to a new town, called Modesto, California. It was the middle of the school year when we moved. (At the time, I was convinced that the REAL Reason we moved was because Mom did not approve of my new “Girlfriend”. I was 10, and in the fifth-grade. Jenny was a redhead, and she had recently taught me how to pop my knuckles. Mom did not like this idea at all! Shortly after this, is when we moved.)
Moving to Modesto was the first time since the age of two that we had moved. So, this was a new experience for us kids. It was still close-enough to our old home, friends, and community in the San Jose area. We were still able to stay connected to what was familiar, and where we had our roots. We often drove the 90-miles to stay involved.
Dad’s work and travel continued while we lived in Modesto. After two years there, he was completely out of work in that region. People in Portland, Oregon were needing his skills, and made him an offer to move up there. He loaded up a few things in his van, and off he went by himself. Mom and Dad told us we all were moving to Portland, but for now it was just him.

They listed our house for sale, and often Mom would fly-up to help Dad look for a house in Portland. We packed much of our house, and just kept living in Modesto. Dad got a small apartment. After school was out, Dad came back down with his van, and took another load. This time, my brother, Jeff, also went up with him. So, now dad and Jeff were living in Portland. My sister (Jodi), my Mom, and I stayed in Modesto, along with the dog, and cat, too! Mom had stopped going to Portland to look for housing, and left it up to Dad. Meanwhile, it seemed our house was not going to sell. They insisted we would live like this until the house sold. Jodi and I were not unhappy about this, because it was peaceful. For many years, it had seemed Mom and Dad were heading for divorce. Jeff was a holy-terror, and this was the first time in years it was peaceful at home.

We packed as much of the house as we could, while still leaving enough out to live in it. After many more months, Dad had not yet found a house in Portland, and our California home was not selling, either. Mom finally got a new realtor with the hopes of actually selling before the upcoming school-year started again. She wanted to get us moved, and start fresh at the new school at the beginning, not in the middle.

Once mid-August came around, it looked as though we were not going to move. Mom and Dad would stay separated. Jeff would stay in Portland with Dad, and the rest of us would not move. Jodi and I got registered at the schools in Modesto, thinking we were going to stay. Then it was time for my already scheduled summer camp. Mom drove me to San Jose so I could catch the camp-bus at the YMCA we belonged to. I went off to camp, and expected that next week when I returned, Mom would pick me up, and then it would only be another week until school started.

I was completely unaware of what was happening the week I was at camp. (I was at camp. That meant no worries.) Once the camp bus returned to The Y, Mom was not there. Instead, I was picked-up by my Grandma. She took me to her house without any word of what was happening. She was calm, smiling, and that gave me all the reassurance that nothing was wrong. It was not uncommon to spend time at Grandma’s. I just thought Mom would meet me there. No worries, right? That night at dinner, Grandpa gave me an envelope with a one-way ticket to Portland. Once I had looked at the ticket, Grandma had on her best smile, and said “Surprise! Your family moved out of state while you were at summer camp!” This was not good. My mind was going a million directions. (I already posted the full details of what happened in this blog: http://enterwithanopenmindorclosedeyes.blogspot.com/2011/09/surprise-your-family-moved-out-of-state.html )So, how did all this suddenly turn upside-down for me? What Happened?

My Dad and Jeff were out driving, looking for housing. They stopped at a garage sale, where they noticed a sign stating the house was for sale. (it was a small “for sale” sign stapled to the house.) My dad joking said he would buy the house. Turns out the joke was on him! The house was already vacant because the owners had to move to Texas. It was left for the neighbors to take care-of. They decided to use the empty garage for a garage sale. They got Dad in touch with the owner, and the sale was almost immediate, because they needed to get it sold.
At the same time that Dad was buying this house, our new realtor in California found a buyer for our house. That new buyer wanted to get in right away, so made Mom an offer she could not refuse. So, while Dad was buying a house without even talking to Mom about it, Mom was selling our house with ever talking to him about it! They flew Jeff back down to Modesto to help with all the last-minute stuff. They hired a moving company to come load all our stuff into a big moving truck, and drive it to our new home in Portland. They arranged to have Grandma and Grandpa get me on a plane to Portland.

So I went from camp, to Grandma’s, then put on a plane from San Jose to Portland. On the way to the airport, Grandma informed me that Dad would be meeting me at the Portland airport. Mom, Jeff, Jodi, the cat, and a large dog were driving to Portland. While in the plane, I often looked at all the tiny cars below to see if I could spot Mom’s little yellow car. I really could not imagine that any of them in the car were happy right now. All of them, plus their luggage were crammed into Mom’s 1976 Datsun F-10 hatchback. Those are tiny little cars, and that seems like a long drive, especially with My brother, and the pets in there. That, at least, made me glad I was flying. But at that moment, it was about the only happy thing I knew. My world had just been twisted, and turned in way too many ways to be happy about. I did not get to say goodbye to anyone in Modesto, or even know if all my stuff was packed, and being moved. I went to camp without a care in the world. The only thing I knew was that I had now had a new home.

“Welcome to Portland, Oregon.”
Dad greeted me at the gate with a hand-shake and a big smile. (There was no hugging in our family… a handshake was all ya got.) We went to his van, and I asked for a map of Portland. I wanted to know all I could about my sudden new home. He told me our new address, and that was all I needed. It was south of Portland, so my first impression of Portland streets was upside-down. (maps are printed with north at the top, and I wanted to see the streets in the same direction we were traveling.) That day, I literally got a full-understanding of how Portland was laid-out. I love maps, and always look around at the surroundings. When we were about five miles from our new home, we stopped at a store. He pointed across the valley to the hill. That was where our home was. I could see the details on the map, plus in the land ahead of me, and had a great understanding of my new community layout. I got to tell him when, and where to turn. (He already knew where he was going, but this was good for me.) We went to our new house, and he already had a key, so we went in and scoped it all out. It was two-story, but from the street, it looked like one-story. I had never seen a house like this before. It was built in the hill, so the top-floor was actually at ground-level. That was the main floor of the house. It had the garage, living room, kitchen, dining room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and lots of windows with the most wonderful view ever! We could even see Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens! This was 1980, and it had just had the big eruption on May 18th of this year. Today, my first-ever view of it, there was a plume of steam-cloud. Awesome!! The house had a deck that wrapped around most of the backside, and overlooked the entire yard. Weird. We entered this house on the ground level, and this deck was high off the ground. Then we explored the downstairs of the house. It was a kind-of mystery-place to me. We entered on the ground-level, but went downstairs, and discovered more windows with views. Funny, the downstairs was underground, yet it was not. I still had to discover the way the hill was cut around the house. There were two bedrooms, one bathroom, a huge utility-room, a Really Giant all-purpose room, a furnace room, and a hidden place under the stairs! We went out the sliding-door to explore the back yard. It was Huge!

Then Dad explained that we won’t be moving-in until the moving-van arrives in a few more days. He told me Mom, Jeff, Jodi, and the animals were taking the slow-drive, and stopping along the way, so they could relax some, and we all would not all be crammed into his tiny apartment. He took me to see his work, and meet his coworkers, then to his apartment. I got to relax at his apartment for a couple of days. He worked. Then Mom, Jeff, Jodi, and The Pets all arrived. Our moving van got delayed, and for some reason we could not go into our new house, yet. So ALL of us, plus the pets had to cram into Dad’s tiny apartment. That was a horrible two days. When our moving-van was finally going to arrive the next day, we loaded everything up in Dad’s van to go to our new home. It took a couple of trips. We stayed the night in our new home.

The morning our Movers were going to arrive, We walked down the hill to Elmer’s for breakfast. Then as we walked back up the hill, we met the movers, and they backed-down our culdesac street to be set to unload. NOW I Was Getting Excited! Finally. We watched anxiously as each item was unloaded. It was tedious. There was an inventory check-list. Every single item was stickered with a number, and we had to check-off each item as it came off. That became my job, partly because I had not gotten to see everything get loaded, and because I would not let a single thing get past me without verifying the number, and checking it off the list. I Kept every single sticker. I watched eagerly as each item was unloaded. I Knew what I had left behind, and I watched, and looked for every single item that was supposed to be in our new home, too. It was chaotic, as the movers were directed by Mom and Dad for where each item went in the house. I was amazed at how they had built crates out of wood around many of our items. Yay! Free wood for me! I could build a fort!! As more and more items came off the truck, I watched. I kept track. So far, it seemed that in fact everything did make it to Oregon. This was good for me to be able to see. Of course, many of my own things were boxed, and I had no idea, yet, about those. I decided that I was gathering too many stickers to hold onto, so I dedcided that the freezer in the garage was an ideal place to line them up. It did not take long before that freezer was totally covered on all sides with neon-orange Allied-moving numbers. This amused me, but at the same time I already know the chore I had created, because I would eventually have to remove every one of those.

After the moving van left, we walked down the hill, to register for our new school, which was starting the very next day. I was starting 7th grade. Jeff was starting 8th grade. We were going to be at the same junior high, and I was already hating that idea. Jodi was lucky. She was starting the 6th grade, at the school behind the junior high. She at least was starting where she would be welcomed before going on to junior high. I was starting junior high where four other schools came into. This meant that not only would I be a new kid, but everyone else would already have their groups from the school they had just come from, and I would be excluded from all of those. This sucked. A new home, new school, new people, new neighbors, all so sudden! School started only one day after we got here, and I did not know a thing about my world.

After registering for school, I went home to start unpacking. Life was about to get turned upside-down in a real big way!

Welcome to Portland, Oregon.

(This move turned-out to be one of many that would become a pattern in my life. This move set into motion what would be so many life-altering changes. Some of the changes have been positive, but not all of them. I strive to find positive in life, but often struggle to do so. It has not been uncommon from this point forward to make some disastrous decisions in my life choices. It also has not been uncommon since this event to just suddenly up-and-move. To leave life as I knew it behind, to start all-over again. At this point, I was only twelve, and this was my third time moving. By the age of forty, I had moved 42 times. I am now 43, and I have not counted recently how many times I have moved, but it is a Lot. Too Many. I will post more as time moves on.)

 Some may ask why I am even posting these at all. I write, and post them mostly for my own benefit. I have felt an urging to use creative expressionism to write-out some of my life-events. ( I often see people that are shocked by writings left behind by a someone who has died. I chuckle, and think Those writings are not that shocking compared to some of my own thoughts. With this on my mind, I created my blog. If anyone reads, and gets anything out of my writings, then that is why. If anyone understands what makes me tick just a little better, or finds something that could help themselves,or someone they care about, then that is why. Many of my life-events I have attempted to seek answers, and understanding from my own family. Perhaps some of my own family will see something that helps either myself, or helps them. Even if nobody ever reads any of my writings, At least I am getting them written, and available for those who may at some point decide to see what they are all about.

I hope you have a Safe, And Wonderful Day! JOn ~=:-)

I Have a Serious Addiction, And I Have Holes In My Shoes!

Here is a story that I have been urged by many to "publish". Well, why not publish it as one of my first on my own blog?
I Originally posted this on Facebook on January 10th, 2010. At the time, I was living in Portland, Oregon.
This sort of thing makes me smile, and captures very well my character, what I do, and how I do it.  I Hope You enjoy it as much as I do! ~=:-)

I have a serious addiction. And I have holes in my shoes. (bear with me, and you will see why they are in the same title line)


So, this morning, I noticed I already have holes in the soles of my “new” shoes. (I say “new” because I just bought these in October. So, as I went through my day, I was wondering how I managed to get holes in my shoes so quickly. After today, I now know the answer. It is because the streetcar was not going to come for another ten minutes. Simple enough, huh? I am guessing you do not see the connection. This is where my serious addiction comes into play.

At 2:30 this afternoon, I left my home to go to Safeway for creamer, and ice cream. I got back home at 6:30pm. You might think I have a serious trip just to go to Safeway, right? Nope! I have Safeway stores all around me. One is about two to three miles away in one direction. Another is about two miles in another direction. Yet another is about four miles in yet another direction. They all have direct bus lines that go right to them. Catching those busses is not a problem, either. All of the bus lines run frequently, and are within a block of my home.

The problem begins with my choice of which Safeway I will go to. I like the one in Downtown at 10th and Jefferson. Simple enough. Just take MAX downtown. Walk 5 or 6 blocks to Safeway. So I got on a MAX at the Hollywood stop, and went downtown. The MAX had to stop before it got where I wanted to go, because of another MAX disabled ahead of it. No problem. I like to walk. I started to walk toward Safeway, but then I saw a streetcar coming, so I hopped on it to go the last few blocks. But then I decided to ride it down to the south waterfront, and then come back around and get off at the Safeway. But then I remembered that once it get to the south waterfront, it waits there for 45 minutes, before making a return trip. So I got off at the River Place Marina stop. The next one I wanted would not be there for 10 minutes, (notice… that is the key to this whole thing). So I decided to walk down 1 block and look at the river, and take some pictures. Then I found myself exploring along the waterfront, taking pictures, enjoying the scenery, and wandering some more. Then I was at the Hawthorne Bridge, and taking more pictures. Then the clouds cleared up, and the sun was starting to set, creating even more great things to take pictures of.

The View from atop The Parking Garage: Hawthorne Bridge, Willamette River,
and Marquam Bridge under a magical sky

I walked up a few blocks, and went to the top of a parking garage to get a great view of the river, bridges, sunset, sky, city, and world below. I took many more photos, and enjoyed the late afternoon, and sunset, played with the different settings on the camera, used the tripod, and the timer, and ran the batteries down. No problem. I have plenty of spare batteries. Changed the batteries, and kept taking pictures.

After a while, I then wandered on back to the street-level, and started to walk toward the streetcar stop at 4th. Found more things that caught my attention, and took more pictures. When I got to the streetcar stop, I noticed that the next one would not come for another 10 minutes. So I decided to walk up and check out the Lovejoy fountain, and neighborhood. I wandered back down to the streetcar, and missed the one that I was gonna catch. So I wandered some more, and caught the next one. Then, I decided it was too short a ride, and I was enjoying it, so I decided to ride it around the loop, and come back around to Safeway. I ended up in the Pearl District, and decided to get off at the Safeway up there. I like that Safeway, so it is not a problem.

After getting my creamer and ice cream, I headed back out to the streetcar stop. As I walked-up, a #77 bus pulled-up. I could take this bus, and be back home in a few minutes. But it was very crowded. (all the routes that go past the Rose Quarter were crowded for a game tonight). So I skipped it. The next streetcar was due in 10 minutes. I could wait. Well, as I was on that streetcar, and headed back toward MAX, all the people that were doing the “No-Pants on MAX pub-crawl” got on board. They got off at the same stop I was getting off at. Then they walked to Pioneer Square, the same place I was going. This caused me to watch and laugh at their antics, and miss the #12, and another MAX. So, I finally caught the next MAX, and headed home. I got home at 6:30 tonight.

So, I have realized that I have a serious addiction. I think, of all the possible addictions a person could have, I have one (or two) that are actually good for me, and healthy, too! My addictions are I like to wander, walk, explore. And, I love to take pictures! And the reason I have holes in my shoes after only three months is because the streetcar is not going to come for another 10 minutes.


When I posted this on Facebook, I had intended to just share a funny story from my life, and the way my mind operates. It turns out, that not only did I share joy with others, they managed to give some joy to me! Hearing from old friends, and having them remind me of how much this free-spirit, happily-wandering, always looking for positive, and enjoying the moment, way of life I embrace brought them happiness. I was reminded at how hard I had to work to regain this way of life. There was a time prior to this (about a full year) that I was struggling to just keep going daily, let alone find ANY Joy.

I am now living in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the timing, and relevance of this post is very fitting... It would seem I once-again after four months have holes in My Shoes! (here we go again!)  I try every day to find the same sense of wonder, joy, and fun in daily life. I will definitely get some of my adventures on going to the grocery store in Vegas written soon!

I Hope You find as much joy in my adventures as I do! Thank you for taking the time to read, and Join My Journey through life! I Hope Have a Fun Day! JOn ~=:-)